Ever After
by lisehrin
Summary: The sequel to "Happily".
1. Deja vu in a new way

Disclaimer: Oddly enough, _Who's The Boss?_ is not my creation. Credit goes to the people it's owed to...

A/N: Firstly, thanks for the reviews for _Happily_ and my other stories - it's so very, very nice to know people are actually reading & enjoying what I write. Secondly, I debated for quite a while on whether to go with the R or PG-13 version of this story, but ultimately decided to go with the original (I'm lazy that way!).

Rating: Chapter 6: R, Chapters 5 & 7: PG-13, all other chapters: G

* * *

_Chapter 1_

Tony had come to a conclusion. He wanted to marry Angela. More to the point, he wanted to marry Angela soon. The big wedding that had seemed so important to him a year earlier was pushed aside and forgotten. Besides, a big wedding took too much time to plan. And if he was going to marry her the day he came home, as he intended, time was a precious commodity. As it was, he'd need the help of the whole family if he was going to pull this off. He told Angela that he'd be home a day later than he actually was. He got Mona to organise Sam and Jonathan and Hank for the preparations. He told them who to invite, what decorations he wanted, suggested a caterer, and then left all the local details to Mona. But he ordered the flowers - dozens of pink roses. This was all going to be expensive, he knew, but it was worth it. He could just picture the look on Angela's face when she realised what he had done.

The three weeks passed by with amazing speed between planning the wedding, marking finals, and attending the farewell parties that were thrown in his honour. But the day to leave finally arrived and he rose early and hit the road with a happy heart. He felt a little guilty for lying to Angela that night on the phone. Pretending he was sitting in Iowa surrounded by boxes, when in reality he was camped out in some tiny motel room only hours away from her. But he thought she'd forgive him. Only, he hoped that she'd agree to a surprise wedding. It worried him a bit, the surprise part. Angela liked surprises, but only if she knew about them.

Driving into Fairfield, he thought of how different his life was from the last time he'd entered the town with a load of his possessions packed behind him. Sam was grown and married, no longer a rough and tumble street kid from Brooklyn. He was a college grad with a year of teaching experience behind him. And the love of his life was probably sitting in the kitchen drinking her juice and coffee before heading off to work. Life was good.

The love of his life was in fact sitting in her kitchen sipping her juice and coffee, reflecting with excitement that in a day Tony would finally be back in her life – for good. The last three weeks hadn't been easy. Losing Tony, if only temporarily, after finally finding him again seemed a cruel punishment. So she buried herself in her work, only barely registering the conversations that stopped dead whenever she entered a room. In spite of all the loneliness, she was happy. They were really going to make it.

Her mother had begged off a day of work complaining that Angela had been a slave driver the past few weeks. So she was genuinely surprised when Mona sauntered into the kitchen dressed to kill so early in the morning. But Mona explained that she had a big day of shopping planned and she hoped that maybe Angela would join her for an early lunch in the city and then take the afternoon off for a little pampering. With only a little bit of coaxing, Angela gave in, deciding it might be a fun change of pace. Besides, there really wasn't much to do around the office lately; she'd done two months worth of work in three weeks. She agreed and quickly hugged her mother before heading out the door to catch the train.

Mona waited a moment after Angela left before grabbing the phone to call Tony. He arrived minutes later, having been hiding around the corner waiting for Angela to leave. Entering the door, he grabbed Mona in a big hug, asking casually how things were. Mona greeted him with delight, glad that he was back – for all of their sakes.

By four o'clock, the house had been transformed. Gone was all the furniture in the living room and the kitchen was set up for the caterer. Thirty-some chairs were set up facing the kitchen door, an aisle in between. At the door stood an archway decorated with trailing ivy, ribbons, and the occasional pink rose peeking out as if they had grown there naturally. Huge bouquets of roses and baby's breath dotted the room, giving off a fragrant aroma. Vines with baby's breath trailed down the banister, framed the doors, and hung along the fireplace. And everywhere pink roses sprouted, giving the effect of a secret rose garden, almost magical in quality.

Tony gazed around the room, pleased at its appearance, amazed that they had actually pulled it off. For the moment the house was calm. The family was all off running last minute errands and the caterer wasn't due for 20 minutes. Hearing voices at the door, he glanced around one last time before ducking into the kitchen. The moment of truth had come.


	2. Suprises and rose gardens

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

* * *

_Chapter 2_  
  
"Thank you Mother, it was a fabulous afternoon. The lunch, the spa, the shopping..." Angela lifted the bags she was holding as she spoke. "It was sweet of you to invite me along.  
  
"Yeah, well you're welcome. Though I can't really take all of the credit for it. You paid." Mona always bristled when her daughter got too mushy, but her happiness was sort of infectious.  
  
"Regardless, I do appreciate it. I'll be beautiful and relaxed for when Tony comes home tomorrow." Noticing Mona about to comment she interrupted, "I don't want to hear it Mother. I'm in too good of a mood to hear sarcastic remarks from you.  
  
Mona shrugged, looking hurt. "Okay. I was just going to agree with you though."  
  
"Oh Mother!" sighed Angela, moving to hug her, bags still in hand.  
  
Mona backed away. "Angela, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't think attacking me with your wedding dress is the way to do it."  
  
Angela grinned, "Sorry." A light came into her eyes as she spoke again, "I can't believe we found the perfect dress in the perfect size in the first boutique we walked into."  
  
Mona smiled knowingly, "A real miracle." She gestured toward the door impatiently. "Come on. Let's get this stuff inside."  
  
Angela put down her bags to find the house key, opened the door without looking inside, and then turned to retrieve the packages. She was still talking to her mother as she pushed her way inside and stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth hanging open. "Mother? What is this?" She gaped about the room and then turned back to Mona.  
  
Mona smiled seeing Tony walk through the door. "I think I'll let him explain," she said, nodding toward the kitchen. "I'll just take these up." She picked up the bags and mounted the stairs.  
  
Angela whirled around, falling deeper into shock as she saw Tony. "Tony?!" she gasped. They both rushed toward the other, meeting in a happy embrace. She looked up at him, the confusion apparent in her eyes. "Tony, what in the world are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here yet."  
  
Tony made as if to leave. "I can go."  
  
She grabbed his arm. "No way. You're not going anywhere. But what is going on here? I don't understand."  
  
"Well, I wanted to surprise you..."  
  
"You DID," she exclaimed.  
  
"...And well, I was hoping..."  
  
"Hoping what?" she interrupted again.  
  
He regrouped. "You know how the last time I was here and I uh asked you to marry me?"  
  
'Yeah?" Angela prompted expectantly.  
  
"Well I was hoping that maybe you'd marry me," he paused, "today."  
  
She looked around the room, finally understanding. "Here? Now?"  
  
Tony nodded. "Here. At 6:00."  
  
Angela stared at him momentarily before breaking into a huge grin. "Oh Tony! Yes of course." She threw her arms around him and kissed him with all she had. Pulling back to look at him, she arched an eyebrow, "A surprise wedding? You're lucky I love you 'cause if I didn't I'd probably be killing you right now."  
  
A concerned look flashed across his face. "If you don't want to tonight, I can call it off. No problem. Well except I flew the judge in and the caterer is on the way and there's too little time to get ahold of everybody, but if..."  
  
"Tony," she cut in. "Don't worry. I want to marry you. I don't want to call this off."  
  
"Ah, thank you. It would have cost a fortune." He said relieved.  
  
"Was that all you were concerned about?" She moved her head close to his.  
  
"Well," he admitted, "maybe there was more." His lips met hers.  
  
The doorbell rang. Once, twice, they ignored it. The third time Tony reluctantly released his hold on her. "That's probably the caterer. You should go up and get ready. Mona's waiting for you and I'll send Sam up when she gets back."  
  
She nodded and brought her lips back to his saying okay.  
  
The bell rang again and Tony groaned. "Coming!" he shouted.  
  
Angela smiled and headed up the stairs. Stopping at the landing, she turned to look back at him. He watched her and waved when she paused, then went to answer the door. 


	3. The anchovy pizza explains it all

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

* * *

_Chapter 3_  
  
Angela floated into her bedroom to find Mona placing a box with a giant red bow on her bed.  
  
"So?" Mona asked expectantly.  
  
"Oh Mother! I'm getting married!" she sighed happily, flopping herself down on the bed.  
  
Mona smiled smugly. "I know. I helped plan it."  
  
"Aw Mother," Angela began before noticing the box. "Is this for me?"  
  
"For you, yes – and I guess for Tony too."  
  
Angela already had the box open. "Mother," she chided, lifting up the soft pink silk negligee. "It's beautiful."  
  
"I know it isn't a traditional Mother of the Bride type of gift, but then again, I'm not a traditional Mother.  
  
Angela hugged her. "Thank you. For everything."  
  
They sat for a moment holding each other before Mona announced, "Enough of the sappy stuff. Let's get you ready!"  
  
By the time Samantha knocked and popped her head around the door they had finished Angela's makeup and were debating whether she should wear her hair up or down. Angela thought up because that was how Tony liked it. Mona thought down because she thought it looked more fun that way. Sam intervened and they decided on a happy medium – half up. Sam sat on the bed quietly, watching them as they fussed and argued and laughed.  
  
After a while Angela turned to her a little concerned. "Sam, honey. Are you okay? You seem awfully quiet. You're okay with all of this?"  
  
"Oh Angela, of course! I'm so happy for you and Dad. I've always wanted this" She made as if to get up, but quickly turned pale and collapsed back on the bed.  
  
"Sam!" Angela rushed over to her. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so well." The concern was written across her face.  
  
"Very astute Angela," Mona interjected. She sat down on Sam's other side.  
  
Sam for her part protested, "I'm fine. I'm fine! I just got up a little too quickly. I'll be fine."  
  
"Samantha," Angela interrupted. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you okay? You haven't seemed yourself for quite a while."  
  
"Yeah," Mona added. "You're always so tired and last week when we were shopping we had to leave because you were feeling sick."  
  
"That was only because I had a piece of anchovy pizza for lunch." Sam tried to explain it away.  
  
Angela and Mona's eyes met over Sam's head – strange cravings, nausea, tiredness, dizziness? "Sam," Angela began hesitantly, "You're not...pregnant. Are you?" Her voice was full of concern and surprise. She stared intently at the younger girl who had gone from pale to pink at the question. Sam glanced up at her and nodded, biting her lip. "Aw honey!" Angela exclaimed, then wrapped her arms around the girl she thought of as a daughter. She held and rocked her for a moment.  
  
Sam eventually pulled away and nervously asked, "You're not upset with me?"  
  
"Why should I be upset with you?" wondered Angela in confusion. "You're having a baby. That's not a bad thing."  
  
"But I'm still in school, and Hank and I have only been married a year, and we're both so young." Sam wouldn't look at either of the women sitting beside her.  
  
"Yeah, and a baby is going to change everything. I do wish for your sake that your life were a little more...stable before you had children. But Samantha babies happen. Sometimes when you least expect them. Don't they Mother?" she asked pointedly.  
  
"Uh huh." Mona agreed. "It's happened to the best of us."  
  
Angela continued, "And you're not so young. Your Mom and Dad were the same age when they had you. And you WILL finish school. Just maybe not when you had planned." She was trying her best to remain calm and rational and supportive for Sam, but inside she was reeling and more than a little upset. Not with Sam or Hank, but with the situation. She wanted so much for her little girl. She wanted Sam to be successful AND happy. She wanted her to have all the advantages and not miss out on any of her dreams. A child and a young marriage made things much more difficult.  
  
Sam snapped her out of her reverie. "Angela...How do you think Dad is going to take this?"  
  
Tony – Angela's mind flashed back to her soon to be husband. She hesitated a moment before replying. "Sam, I won't lie to you. He'll probably be upset and overreact, at least initially. And he'll probably be sad because you didn't tell him first, but..."  
  
"I tried to Angela. But it didn't seem right over the phone and I was going to tell him in Iowa..."  
  
"But he ended up rushing back to me?"  
  
Sam shrugged. "There just hasn't been a right time."  
  
Angela spoke without thinking, "Tell him now."  
  
Sam and Mona both stared at her as if she were insane. Sam spoke up, "And ruin your wedding? No way!"  
  
Angela started to protest and then stopped. "Maybe you're right, tomorrow then. Sam, you do need to tell him – and who knows, maybe he'll surprise us. I do know that once he gets over the shock he's going to be over the moon."  
  
They all sat for a moment in silence. "Angela," Sam began.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thank you. You're going to be a great Grandmother."  
  
"Grandmother?!" Angela gasped.  
  
"Well, yeah. I mean, you've helped raise me and you've been like a...no, you have been a mother to me. And now that you and Dad are finally making it official...I was hoping that you'd be my babies grandmother."  
  
"HA!" Mona laughed. "You're going to be a grandma. Finally you get to have some of your own medicine!"  
  
"Well, you know Mother, if I'm a grandmother, that makes you a great- grandmother."  
  
Mona looked horrified, and then relented. "We'll work on our titles later. Right now though, I think the bride and the mother of the bride need to get dressed."  
  
"Oh my! I almost forgot! What time is it?" Angela jumped up in a panic.  
  
"Calm down, calm down," Mona said soothingly. "There's enough time left, you're almost ready. Let's just go change, okay?"  
  
Mona gave Sam a quick hug before leaving the room. Angela paused before entering her bathroom as if there was more she wanted to say.  
  
"Go on, get ready," urged Sam. "We'll talk more later, I promise."  
  
Angela smiled, relieved, and then turned on her heel into the bathroom.


	4. Supposed to be

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

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_Chapter 4_  
  
Angela stepped carefully, anxious to avoid any embarrassing scene such as falling head over heels down the stairs. To Tony and the assembled guest it seemed she swept confidently and gracefully towards the aisle. Tony's breath caught in his throat watching her descend, unable to believe he was finally marrying the woman who had captivated him for so long.  
  
As their eyes met, Angela lost sight of everything and everyone in the room but him. She had to keep reminding herself to slow her steps as her body urged her to race towards him. Finally she reached him and grasped his hand, giving it a small squeeze. Whether it was for assurance or affection, Tony wasn't sure, but whatever it was it filled him with such confidence and love that he felt his tux might burst at the seams. He returned the gesture, looking deeply into her soft brown eyes, before forcing his attention back to the judge standing before them.  
  
The judge was drawling on in a typical southern accent about the typical things officials say at weddings. At first Angela was too focused on the spark of electricity that was flowing through her system from Tony's touch, to pay the man much attention. But when he began to talk about it being his privilege to join together something he had helped take apart, her mind shot back to another wedding she had been to as a casual observer. The connection suddenly made, she turned away from the justice towards Tony, her eyes begging the question she couldn't ask aloud. She moved her eyes from Tony to the judge, jerking her head slightly. His eyes followed hers and realising the question, nodded ever so lightly. Her smile widened and he felt her hands tighten around his. She understood. The words he'd spoken so passionately about marrying the person he loved, all those years before when they'd gotten their accidental marriage annulled, they applied today.  
  
The vows were spoken and the wedding bands slipped gently on their ring fingers. What words they said or if either of them stumbled, none of them knew. Of the assembled guests, only one thing was certain, true love was present, filling the room with magical joy. When the judge finally pronounced them man and wife and their lips sealed the bond, a cheer went up from either Mrs. Rossini or Mona, they weren't sure, and they found themselves squashed in a massive group hug. This wasn't just the joining of their lives; it was the joining of all the lives they had touched.  
  
The reception was a frenzy of laughter and stories. Each person spoke about how their lives had been influenced by the happy couple. Tiny admitted to being inspired to look for true love, and Philly Fingers spoke about how he hoped to better himself after seeing how good Tony had made out. Mrs. Rossini apologised for all the Italian beauties she had pushed upon Tony over the years, saying he must have known he had the best right at home. Jonathan talked about passion and taking chances and Mona interrupted, saying he knew nothing of passion, but that if anyone did, it was Tony and Angela. Sam talked about strength of character and love of family and how above all else she was grateful for the family they had built for them all.

When the meal was eaten and the laughter died down, Tony and Angela found each other's arms and swayed lightly to the music playing in the background. They didn't notice as the guests left one by one, too wrapped up in the love they felt. It was only when everyone had left and Mona shook them apart that they were brought back to reality, surprised by how quiet the house had become. They thanked their family for their hard work in pulling everything together, and withstood the teasing comments about the night to come. Alone at last, Tony pulled Angela towards him for one final dance before she silently took his hand and led him up the stairs.


	5. New threshold's

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Rating: PG-13

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_Chapter 5_  
  
All Tony could think about as they mounted the stairs was the way Angela's hand felt wrapped around his. The touch was light and warm, but there was no way he could pull away his hand, even if he wanted to. And he didn't. So he blindly followed her only feeling nervous as they stopped outside of her door. In his mind he corrected himself, their door. It was in this moment where the implications of all that had passed between them today and in the past finally came to a fore. This room, he had always considered it Angela's private domain. Even when he was forced to clean it he had moved cautiously and respectfully, never dreaming of imposing any of himself on her room. Yet, of all the rooms in the house he enjoyed this one the most, because everything in it was so intimately Angela. He watched as she shyly opened the door and felt an overwhelming need to lighten the moment. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her towards him and then swung her up into his arms.  
  
She laughed as she linked her arms around his neck, realising his intentions. "You know, I think carrying your wife over the threshold is supposed to take place at the front door, not the bedroom door."  
  
Tony just grinned and perfected his hold on her. "Yeah, but this is the one threshold we've never crossed together." With that he stepped into the room, nudging the door closed with his foot. Their lips met and his grip lightened, allowing Angela to slide to the floor. Unfortunately, the manoeuvre was less than graceful and Angela continued to slide without finding her footing. She broke out laughing as she crumpled to the floor, watching him momentarily kiss thin air. As he held out his hand to help her up, she allowed herself to gaze around the room. The lights were dimmed and a fire was crackling in the fireplace. Bouquets from the wedding had been spread about the room and champagne was chilling in a cooler.  
  
She looked back at Tony, finding herself surprised once again upon entering a room and seeing the unexpected. "Did you do this?" she asked.  
  
But Tony was staring at the room in wonder too. They looked at each other with puzzled expressions for a moment before it finally dawned on them. "Mother." She said.  
  
"Mona," he agreed.  
  
A familiar quiet fell upon them as they studied each other nervously, each wanting to make a move, but unsure of how to do it in a manner that seemed completely natural. Finally Angela broke the silence as she took a deep breath and announced, "I'm going to go hang up this dress. Why don't you pour us some of that champagne Mother so thoughtfully provided while you're waiting? I won't be long." She spoke quickly as a red flush crept over her cheeks and she purposely avoided making eye contact with Tony. He noticed her discomfort and moved to comply, secretly relieved that she had been the first to speak. Angela made broad strides across the room toward the bathroom, but stopped at the door, suddenly remembering something. She turned around and spoke hesitantly, "Tony?"  
  
He turned his head towards her, still working at taking the plastic off of the champagne bottle. "Huh?"  
  
"Um Tony... Could you help me with my zipper? Sam helped me zip it up but I don't think I can..." She trailed off, a little uncomfortable with asking him for help.  
  
Tony smiled and nodded, moving across the room towards her. As he neared, she turned around and tried to sweep her hair out of the way to allow him better access. He paused behind her for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then brought a slightly trembling hand up to brush away a few remaining tendrils that fell across the zipper. He tried to ignore the sharp intake of breath his gentle touch had caused her and instead focused on the maddenly tiny zipper that hung just below the nape of her neck. His fingers fumbled for a moment before he finally caught it triumphantly. As his hands worked the zipper slowly down the curve of her back, he couldn't help but admire the creamy, smooth texture of her skin or the way the delicate little hairs curled on the back of her neck. Almost without realising it, he found himself leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her newly revealed shoulder blade. He felt as much as heard the breathy sigh she released as she arched her back towards him and he continued to trail kisses up her spine, gradually making his way up to her neck. She tilted her head and leaned into him, savouring the sensation of his lips on her skin.

Eyes half closed, she breathed in slowly and deeply before turning in his arms to catch the mouth that was teasing her neck. This was the kiss from that first heated evening before the car rolled into the lake. It was the kiss she remembered from that night in Jamaica that told her without words how much he wanted her. But this time it was she that pulled away, wanting to take all the time in the world to relish the moment. She looked deep into his intense dark eyes; her own filled with desire, and smiled at him seductively but coyly. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she reminded him, and disappeared into the washroom.


	6. The passion of the dance

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Rating: R

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_Chapter 6_  
  
Angela stared vacantly at the mirror, trying to calm the nervous energy flowing through her system. It seemed so odd and yet so comforting that one person could make her feel so powerful in one moment and so vulnerable in the next. She returned her focus to Angela-in-the-looking-glass and tried to picture herself as Tony saw her. As she ran through a mental checklist of all her good and bad qualities, she couldn't help but hear his voice in her mind, contradicting her whenever her thoughts drifted to the negative. He was her cheerleader, her friend, and her love. She was his and he was most definitely hers. She had nothing to fear. Angela-in-the- glass flashed a brilliant smile as she realised that to Tony she was nothing less than beautiful.  
  
Tony stood at the dresser, examining the picture in his hand. It was an old photo, probably taken sometime during that first year after he and Sam had moved in. For the life of him, he couldn't remember ever seeing it before. The kids looked so fresh-faced and innocent, laughing uncontrollably at the edges of the picture. And Mona, she looked as timeless as always, sitting there front and centre, staring up at him from the photograph. He vaguely recalled her forcing them to gather for a 'family' portrait, a project for her photography class during her college days. But what really got him about the picture was him and Angela, squeezed happily in the midst of the chaos, sharing that secret, longing gaze they always shared. "We had it even then," he said unconsciously, lightly brushing his fingertip over Angela's image.  
  
"We had what even then?" Angela stepped out of the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind her.  
  
Tony glanced up at her voice and felt his pulse quicken at the sight of her standing there in a pink nightgown and robe, soft hair curling around her shoulders. He gestured at the picture, unable to form a coherent sentence.  
  
A knowing smile played across her face as she crossed the space between them. She stood close to him, letting him feel the rise and fall of her breathing. Her voice was husky as she spoke, "That's some family we've got there." She placed her hand lightly over his and tilted the picture to see it better. "Where did you ever find this?"  
  
Tony swallowed with difficulty and managed, "It was just sitting here. Must be another of Mona's gifts."  
  
"She gave us this nightgown too." Their eyes locked.  
  
He reached a hand up and carefully trailed a finger along the strap. "Oh, I like it."  
  
Angela wrapped her arms around Tony, drawing him in for a kiss. His hand found the dresser and gently set the picture face down before returning to explore her body. It wasn't long before Angela's hands made their way under his shirt, tracing the contours of his upper body. She couldn't count the number of times she'd seen him shirtless, but to actually touch him and feel the strength of his muscles...She bit her lip, trying to fight the urge to ask him to flex his pecks. It had always seemed like such an egotistical gesture, but right at this moment... She brought her face back up to his and encased his lower lip in her mouth, letting her tongue slide slowly over the small sensitive hollow just beneath it. When he responded by pressing even closer to her she began to wonder how much more of this either one of them could take.  
  
Tony felt like he was drowning in everything Angela. The intoxicating scent, the warm moisture of her mouth, the way her body felt beneath the smoothness of the nightgown, the intensity of her kisses... He'd wanted this for so long and now to finally have her in his arms with no doubts as to whether this was right or if she loved him, it was almost too much. As her hands brushed through his hair then lingered to massage his shoulders he reconsidered, it was overwhelming, but he thought he'd survive. Laughing, he swiftly picked her up and swung them around to the bed, attempting to gently lay her down.  
  
She wouldn't let go, only relenting after he kissed her hungrily and thoroughly, his body leaning into hers. He stood up and began to remove his clothes, still locked deeply in her gaze. Her eyes were deep pools of brown, darkened with desire and those wonderful, delicious lips of hers curled into the smallest of smiles, begging to be kissed away. She reached up and took his hand, drawing him back down towards her. He lightly brushed his hand against her cheek, trailing a finger along her jaw line before lifting her chin to meet his own slightly tilted head. Their lips met and Angela felt the bubbling of emotion rise through her system once again.

Together they slid off the last remaining article of clothing between them and were rewarded with sensation of flesh meeting in a heated embrace. His lips wandered slowly away from hers, tasting her throat and then her neck before venturing further down her body. She gasped and arched her body towards him as he grazed over her breast. He lingered there, enjoying the small noises she emitted as he teased her. Finally, deciding that turnaround was fair play; she pushed him up and sat beside him. She ran her hands up across his torso then down along his arms before resting again on his chest, thumbs rubbing his nipples. She pressed down on his shoulders, straddling his legs, forcing him to lie still as she began her slow torture, nibbling gently along his sensitive areas. He groaned and tried to move her but she only smiled and captured his lips again. Finally reaching the limits of his endurance, he spun her over and caressed the curve of her hip, dipping his head down to taste her. Her body shivered and pulsed at his touch, completely awash with the need to be near him. She closed her eyes and absorbed the sensation of him entering her as her heart raced in response. They moved together until they were finally carried over the edge in a rush of release. Even as they came down to earth, they began again, lost in this new dance of passion and love and discovery.


	7. Can you love too much?

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Rating: PG-13

* * *

_Chapter 7_  
  
They lay together in perfect contentment. His arms wrapped around her body, her head nestled on his chest listening to the beating of his heart. Both of them deep in thought, reviewing the day, their life together, and their dreams for the future. He was surprised when he felt a tear drop to his chest. "Angela," he asked, "are you crying?" He shifted to see her face but she moved away from him, quickly wiping away any trace of tears. He sat up, taking her into his arms. "Are you okay?" he was so concerned, so tender, that she began to cry harder. He turned her towards him and she buried herself against his shoulder. He held her tight and stroked her back, quietly assuring her that whatever was wrong they could make right, desperately trying to quell the panic rising in his chest.  
  
Finally she stopped crying and made an effort to wipe her face as she pulled away. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, completely embarrassed by her little meltdown. "I don't know what came over me. I'm so..."  
  
"Shh," he told her, wiping away a remaining tear that glistened on her cheek. "It's okay. But you can tell me, you know, if something's wrong."  
  
She nodded and kissed his hand that was still holding her face. She rested her cheek against it for a moment. "I know. It's just...this. You and me – it's too much. It's overwhelming."  
  
He stared at her, then asked reluctantly, "Do you regret marrying me?" He couldn't bear the thought, but he had to know.  
  
Angela answered immediately, "Oh, no! Oh Tony, I love you. You make me so happy."  
  
"So happy you cry?"  
  
She bit her lip. "Sometimes." Her eyes met his only briefly before looking away again.  
  
"Why?" He didn't ever want to cause her any pain, if he could help it.  
  
"Because I love you too much."  
  
Of all the things he worried about, this was the one that least concerned him. "How can you love someone _too_ much? I mean..."  
  
"Tony. I was miserable without you. Sure I got up, got dressed, and went to work, but my life, it was so empty. I can't be happy without you in my life anymore. And now, now that we're married, really married, I need you even more. It scares me how much." The tears were threatening her eyes again.  
  
His voice was hushed. "I need you too. But what are you afraid of?"  
  
"Tony," she gently touched his chest, sending tingles up his spine. "Do you know how long I've wanted this? Wanted you? I've thought about us, dreamed about us, and now, the dream is real and it's even better than anything I imagined. How is that possible? How rare is that?"  
  
"It's pretty rare," he admitted but added, "it's happened for me."  
  
"I know you love me, but it's different for you. You're a fighter; you're a survivor. If anything were to happen to me, you'd go on. I'm not sure I could handle it if I lost you."  
  
"Eh oh. You're not ever losing me. But if something did happen...I think you'd be okay. I'm not saying it would be easy. God, the thought of anything ever happening to you, it freezes my heart. But you're strong. Stronger than you realize, and you're a fighter too, even if you don't see it. You'd go on and I'd be up there cheering for you. More than anything Angela, I want you to be happy. Don't ever forget that."  
  
Angela spoke the only words that came to her, straight from the heart. "I love you Tony."  
  
"I love you, Mrs. Micelli.  
  
She beamed at that. "I like the sound of that. Angela Katherine Micelli."  
  
"Sounds real good." He kissed her lightly and pulled her down to settle with him in the pillows. He traced a finger over her lips. "Feeling better?"  
  
"A little." She snuggled in closer.  
  
"Try not to worry so much. We're here, we're married, it's enough."  
  
"I'll try," she spoke sleepily. "Night Tony."  
  
"Night Angela." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and then closed his eyes.  
  
She watched him fall into a deep sleep. Finally, after gently brushing the hair out of his eyes, she allowed herself to relax and followed him to dreams. 


	8. Worth the wait

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

* * *

_Chapter 8_  
  
Angela and Tony were slow to rise the next morning; both reluctant to leave the comfort of the others arms, scared that the intimacy they had built during the night would disappear upon losing contact. But eventually, hunger and the knowledge that the family would soon be there forced them up. The awkwardness returned as they went about their morning rituals, each taking great pains to avoid imposing on the other. They knew it was silly, and time would eventually bring them to a routine, but for the present, it was all so new. The old boundaries in their lives had been erased and neither knew where exactly to redraw them. There was an impulse to spend every second of every moment joined at the hip, but they were so used to having separate lives that that type of closeness would eventually drive them insane. However, things couldn't be as they were before either, so they treaded lightly.  
  
Tony paused as he reached the bottom of the stairs, surveying the debris left of the night before. It wasn't too bad, the chairs had been packed up and set aside, the caterers had removed all traces of supper, the floor was swept, and all that remained were the decorations. A huge grin appeared on his face as Angela pushed through the kitchen door, tea towel draped over her shoulder.  
  
"Hi ya Beautiful!" he greeted her lovingly  
  
"Hi ya Handsome," she replied with a hint of shyness. "Whatcha doing?" she wondered.  
  
"Looking at the living room. It feels strange, seeing it so empty."  
  
"Yeah, it seems so much bigger without the furniture, almost like a ballroom." Angela frowned; it sounded dorky the moment it came out of her mouth.  
  
Tony didn't seem to mind, or notice anything amiss. Instead his smile grew and he held out his hand asking, "Care for a dance?"  
  
She laughingly agreed as he placed his arms around her and twirled them out into the middle of the room. He enjoyed dancing with her like this – she moved so gracefully, responding to his lead. She giggled as he pulled her into a dip, bringing his face down to kiss her even as he lowered her.  
  
Mona and Jonathan entered through the back door. "You're still dancing?" Jonathan asked incredulously. "Don't you two ever quit?"  
  
Tony pulled Angela upright and answered, "Never," before placing another kiss on his wife's lips.  
  
Jonathan groaned, "I'm leaving." He headed for the kitchen.  
  
Mona watched them both with glee. "So, the kid's gone. Give me details! Did you really spend the whole night here dancing? Or were you up to another type of dance?"  
  
Tony and Angela grinned at each other; they had been expecting this. After a moment, Tony broke away from Angela's gaze and spoke, "She's your mother, you talk to her. I'm going to check on breakfast." With one last glance, he pushed through the door.  
  
"Angela," Mona whined, "I've waited nine long years for something to happen between you two. Don't hold out on me now!"  
  
"Mother – Do you really expect me to fill you in on my wedding night?"  
  
"A mother could dream," Mona answered. Angela just looked at her. "Tell me something, anything at least." Angela began to move toward the kitchen. "Please!" she begged.  
  
A smile spread across Angela's face as she paused at the door and looked back. "Let's just say that it was well worth the wait," she winked and with that, she was gone.  
  
Mona gave a loud whoop before following her daughter out of the room.


	9. The worst or the best?

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

* * *

_Chapter 9_  
  
Breakfast that morning was noisy and joyful as the whole family gathered to celebrate the fulfilment of a long held wish. Even though they had felt like family for years, the wedding somehow made things seem more official, more right. The kids and Mona grinned as they watched Tony and Angela move around the room, always within arms reach, almost mirroring the other. It wasn't anything new to see, except that the spirit of it seemed much more intimate and connected.  
  
Tony was so caught up in the delight of being with his loved ones again, he completely missed the various undercurrents playing out in the room. Angela kept trying to encourage Sam to share her news with Tony and Sam kept trying to avoid Angela's gaze. Jonathan sat nervously trying to find a way to start calling Tony 'Dad' without it seeming awkward or unnatural. He thought to himself a little resentfully that this would have all been a lot easier if they had got it together when he was nine instead of now when he was seventeen and just about to graduate high school. But as he watched a secret smile pass between his parents, he thought, 'Better late than never.' Mona sat smugly, waiting to share one last surprise with the happy couple.  
  
When the meal was over and their stomach's groaning with food, Mona finally stood up and clinked her glass to get their attention. Part of her just wanted to yell and startle them into silence, but even the roguish side of her wanted to preserve the blissful atmosphere a little while longer. As silence fell and they all looked up at her expectantly, she announced, "I have one last gift for the two of you, if you two fuddy-duddies are willing to take me up on it."  
  
Tony and Angela exchanged a confused look before shrugging their shoulders. "What is it Mother?" Angela asked.  
  
"Well it seems that in all of his planning, Tony forgot about one little detail, one very important detail."  
  
"I did?" Tony asked incredulously, trying to remember if anything was missing from the day before. He furrowed his brow and looked to Angela to see if she had found anything lacking. She seemed just as puzzled. To Mona he insisted, "No I didn't."  
  
"What about the honeymoon?" Mona answered pointedly.  
  
"The honey...ooh." Tony's voice trailed off and he and Angela blushed at each other.  
  
Mona watched the little by-play and shook her head. She couldn't believe they were still acting like teenagers around each other. "See, told ya so. Luckily you have me here to save the day. Mona to the rescue once again! Thanks to me, you have a week on a tropical island with nothing to do but..."  
  
"Mother!" Angela cut in.  
  
"...Take in the fun and the sun." She batted her eyelashes innocently at Angela.  
  
"Oh yeah, you two should definitely go. Take some time together and relax." Samantha jumped into the conversation.  
  
Angela eyed her suspiciously but then turned to Tony and asked, "What do you think?"  
  
"I think it would be great – the sun and the sand and... other things." They shared a lingering look.  
  
"Yeah, other things," Angela agreed distractedly, picturing exactly just what the 'other things' could be. Shaking herself out of it, she turned towards Mona and said, "Thank you mother, for thinking of this and being so sweet. But you know, you could do one more thing for us."  
  
Mona hesitated before asking, "What exactly can I do?"  
  
Angela smiled sweetly, replying, "The dishes, Mother please? So Tony and I can talk to Sam. She said she had something she wanted to talk to us about." She pleaded with her eyes.  
  
Sam glared at Angela while Mona reluctantly agreed; "Okay, but only if the boy helps."  
  
Jonathan interrupted sarcastically, "Hey! Doesn't the boy get any say in this?"  
  
Everyone just looked at him and laughingly answered, "Nope!"

* * *

Samantha sat uncomfortably in the centre of the couch, balling up the end of her sweater in her hand. She smiled slightly at the sight of Tony and Angela sitting in the chair beside her, Angela sitting on the arm with Tony's hand slung over her waist. She was just about to speak when the phone rang, distracting them all from the idle conversation they were making. They heard Mona call out that she would get it and then there was silence. As Sam took a deep breath to begin again, Mona poked her head through the swinging door and announced that the phone was for Tony. He slid out from the chair, squeezing Angela's hand as he did, and made his way into the kitchen.  
  
Angela studied Samantha for a moment before speaking. "Sam, sweetheart, you've got to tell him. It's going to be all right, I promise you."  
  
Sam smiled weakly; wishing Hank was with her instead of at work. "Thanks Angela. I just, I..."  
  
Tony raced back into the room, phone still clutched in his hand, "You're not going to believe this, I just got a job offer at a high school, in Connecticut!" He turned his attention back to the phone, still in the midst of conversation with the person on the other end. The whole family waited impatiently as he continued the call with a bunch of uh-huh's, an okay, and finally a goodbye. At once, everyone demanded details and he tried his best to answer them.  
  
As he stood gushing about how perfect his life was, being married to Angela, having his family around, and now a new job, Samantha broke into his speech, "And now you're going to be a Grandfather!" She spoke with forced cheerfulness, trying to mask her fear.  
  
The whole family turned from Tony to stare at her. Tony stood shocked in disbelief, his face turning quickly from joyful to serious. Angela rose and rushed to his side, trying to calm him with her touch.  
  
Tony spoke cautiously; "I'm going to be a what?"  
  
The colour rose in Sam's cheeks as she began to get defensive. "You heard me. Hank and I, we're having a baby.  
  
He stood there meeting her eyes for a long moment before glancing down at the phone in his hands. He looked away from her and spoke before walking slowly into the kitchen. "I gotta hang this up."  
  
Angela squeezed Sam's hand briefly before following Tony. He was standing in the middle of the kitchen, staring absently at the door. His eyes focused on her as she entered the room, asking in a sad tired voice, "You knew, didn't you?"  
  
All she could do was walk up and wrap her arms around him. He stayed in her embrace momentarily before dropping down into a chair at the table. "I don't get it," he began, studying his hands. "Sam and me, we used to be able to talk about anything. Now whenever she has this wonderful, life changing news, I'm the last to know. I must be the world's worse father."  
  
Angela moved to cover his hands with her own as a voice carried across the room. "You're not." Sam had quietly entered the room as he was speaking. "You're not the world's worst father, you're one of the best." She spoke with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell you like that, I just didn't know how to tell you. I thought you'd be mad at me."  
  
Tony raised his eyes away from his hands. "I'm not mad. I just wish you weren't so scared to tell me things. I know I overreact," he glanced at Angela, "a lot, but all I want is for you to be happy. You are happy, right?"  
  
Sam nodded, biting her lip, "I am."  
  
"Then that's all that matters." He got up and hugged his daughter tightly. "I love you."  
  
They both looked up amused as Angela let out a huge, "Aww!" and rushed towards them, joining in the hug. 


	10. Chasing the sunset

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Here it is, the end. Hope you enjoyed the enjoyed the journey! :)

* * *

_Chapter 10_  
  
Tony and Angela collapsed into the uncomfortable airplane seats, grateful for a chance to rest. Leave it to Mona to book them their honeymoon trip and neglect to tell them they were leaving until two hours before departure. As if the marriage, a new job, and a new grandchild weren't enough to deal with, Tony thought, but to pack and rush off to the airport... He shook his head and smiled. Mona was still very much Mona, he decided. He glanced over at Angela and the smile deepened. She sat there, eyes closed, head back against the seat. And in spite of her obvious weariness, he couldn't help but admire her. His wife, he mused, still growing accustomed to the word in his head.  
  
They hadn't really spoken since the group hug in the kitchen, so wrapped up in preparations and their own thoughts. But it really didn't seem to matter. They'd always been proud of their ability to talk to each other about anything, but their unspoken communication often said so much more.  
  
As the plane rumbled to a start, Angela opened her eyes and looked over at him. They shared a tired but content smile as he reached over and took her hand in his. Yeah, he thought, this is how it's supposed to be.  
  
Angela was grateful for Tony's hand grasping hers as they accelerated down the runway. No matter how many times she flew, she still dreaded that stomach dropping rush as the plane gained speed and took off. At least she didn't get airsick. That really would have been a fun way to start a honeymoon. She glanced at Tony again, wondering if he ever suffered from the same fears troubling her. He was staring out the window, silently watching the city disappear beneath them. Somehow, she didn't think his fears included flying or heights. There was so much she wanted to say to him, so much they needed to talk about. What a difference a day makes, the thought resounded in her head. She closed her eyes again and leaned back into the seat, mentally counting off her blessings. As her thoughts drifted to the future, she couldn't help but think of Sam and the baby, and Tony's reaction to the news. He had surprised her. She thought he would go ballistic, fly off the handle, just as he had done in every other moment Sam had taken a step into adulthood. The look of sadness in his eyes as he stood in the kitchen had broken her heart. She wondered about this side of Tony, if it was a new remnant of their time apart, or if it was something that had always been there but buried deep inside. He had been great with Sam afterwards, teasing her and babying her at the same time. He was something, her Tony. My how she loved him...  
  
Angela nestled into Tony's side and slept soundly as they winged their way towards their honeymoon paradise. As the sun fell low in the sky, Tony gently shook her awake. "Ang, wake up. You've got to see this. We're chasing the sunset."  
  
She opened her eyes reluctantly but was instantly mesmerised by the view out the window. "Oh Tony," she breathed. "It's so beautiful. It's like an ending to a fairytale. You know, riding off into the sunset and living happily ever after."  
  
He grinned at her, seriously considering her words in spite of the gushing that came with them. He didn't want to contradict her but... "You're wrong." He spoke quietly but firmly. Angela peeled her gaze away from the window to look at him questioningly. "I'm no Prince Charming and our life, well it hasn't exactly been a fairytale. And I don't think this is any sort of ending, just a new beginning, a brand new life."  
  
Angela smirked a little at his words and playfully replied, "I don't know, I've often thought of you as my knight in shining armour, or apron at least."  
  
"Yeah?" his face brightened as he briefly entertained the image in his mind. Her laughter snapped him back to reality and he continued, "As for the happily part, well..."  
  
"You don't think we're going to be happy?" She was still trying to figure out where he was going with this.  
  
"Oh, we'll be happy alright, but we'll be sad sometimes too. We'll fight, we always do. We'll make up..."  
  
"We always do." Angela echoed with a smile.  
  
He held her gaze for a long moment before continuing. "You may have been right about one part though. The ever after part, I think that's us."  
  
"So do I." She smiled again and leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips. Then she curled back in against him and they watched the sun dip slowly beyond the horizon.  
  
And they lived...pretty close to...happily ever after. 


End file.
